Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-19

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The plans below show a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The plans below show a college cafe before it was redesigned and how it looks now.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The maps show how the layout of college cafe redesigned between before and today by showing different areas.

Overall The area became considerably more developed, with several new facilities being added and some existing feature being removed. They was expanded barbecue with designed of seating outside which was located below the salad bar.

In the northern part, kitchen is same as before but it added a salad bar extra on today cafe which include hot meals instead of all food and drinks. On this part Barbecue area added with some outdoor seating. This barbecue area looks beside separate seating area which located outside of the cafe.

In the southern part, most of the area same as before. In center, staff dining rooms was removed. They added take away food and coffee bar. Today cafe focused on different part of food which separate different division for meals and drinks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which negatively impacts the task achievement score. While you have identified the main features of the redesign, the description is somewhat fragmented and lacks a clear, cohesive overview. You successfully mention the addition of the barbecue area and the removal of the staff dining room, but the lack of sufficient detail and the failure to reach the word count limit prevent a higher score. To improve, ensure you provide a more comprehensive summary of the changes and double-check that your response meets the length requirement to fully develop your points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the logical flow between sentences is often disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'In the northern part' and 'In the southern part'. Some sentences are difficult to follow due to awkward phrasing, which hinders the overall progression of ideas. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that connects logically to the next.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher levels. You rely on basic descriptors like 'same as before' and 'different part of food'. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'designed of seating' and 'today cafe'. To improve, try to incorporate more specific terminology related to describing maps and changes, such as 'transformed', 'relocated', or 'expanded'. Expanding your range of descriptive adjectives and nouns will help you convey information more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include missing articles ('kitchen is same', 'barbecue area added'), incorrect verb tenses ('They was expanded'), and awkward sentence structures ('Today cafe focused on different part of food'). While you attempt to use some complex ideas, the execution is often flawed. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles. Proofreading your work for these common errors will significantly improve the accuracy and readability of your writing.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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